1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing method for transmitting and receiving (i.e., exchanging) data between data communication apparatuses at least one of which is connected to an individual network such as a local area network (LAN) or the like.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, it has been desired that a facsimile apparatus or the like is connected to a network such as a LAN or the like which is individually provided, and a user who uses this network transfers document data produced by a client's terminal such as a personal computer or the like to the connected facsimile apparatus to cause the facsimile apparatus to transmit the produced document data to a partner-side facsimile apparatus and transfers data received by the connected facsimile apparatus to a user on the network in response to a designation from a transmission side. In such a case, a server terminal is connected to the network to cause the connected server terminal to manage the network, whereby transfer process of the received data to the network becomes easy.
However, in a case where a data communication apparatus such as the facsimile apparatus or the like which transmits and receives the data in such a manner as described above is provided independently of the server terminal which manages the network, for example, even if the transmission side inquires of the server terminal about whether or not the data transmitted by the transmission side has been successfully reached a final destination, i.e., the user on the network, it is feared that the server terminal can not easily respond to such inquiry if the server terminal is carrying out other process or the like.
Further, also in a case where the same inquiry as above is sent from the transmission side to the data communication apparatus such as the facsimile apparatus or the like which is connected to the network, if the communication apparatus confirms to the user on the network a state of the received data when the inquiry is received, there is a problem that processing efficiency is degraded. Moreover, there is a problem that the data communication apparatus can not effectively notify the transmission side the state of the received data.